/** reg.easttimor: 3271.0 **/
** Topic: Amnesty issues its first ever 'urgent action' for entire ETimor popu **
** Written 10:09 PM Sep 10, 1999 by Joyo@aol.com in cdp:reg.easttimor **
Subject: Amnesty issues its first ever 'urgent action' for entire ETimor population
Amnesty issues 'urgent action' for entire East Timor population
SYDNEY, Sept 11 (AFP) - Amnesty International, for the first time in its 30-year history, Saturday issued its "urgent action" scheme for an entire population, fearing for the future of violence-racked East Timor.
The scheme is a system of rapid response by a worldwide network of activists which aims to rescue people from human rights emergencies.
"Amnesty International fears for the entire population of East Timor as armed pro-Indonesian militias and Indonesian troops continue to have complete control of the territory," the human rights watchdog said in a statement received here.
The group has urged its million-strong global membership to pressure their governments to impose an immediate moratorium on all transfers to Indonesia of military, security and police equipment and weaponry which could be used to commit human rights abuses.
It wants people to write, fax or telex their governments to ask what they are doing to protect the rights of the East Timorese.
In the past, urgent actions have been based on individual cases.
On Friday, Amnesty International Secretary General Pierre Sane called on the United Nations to immediately fulfil its obligation to the East Timorese people.
"The United Nations has a legal and moral obligation to these people, who, courageously exercised their right to self-determination by participating in the August 30 ballot (on independence)," he said.
"We believe it is essential that the Security Council take immediate and effective steps to uphold the fundamental rights of all the people of East Timor."
** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **